1. Field
This disclosure generally relates to audio communications, and more particularly, to devices that process digitized audio.
2. Background
Wired and wireless headsets are known. Conventional wired headsets include a wire running between an audio source and either one or two earpieces that are intended to fit on or within a user's ears. In many cases, wireless headsets are simply replacements for wired headsets. In such circumstances, a wireless headset substitutes a wireless link, usually a radio frequency (RF) or infrared (IR) channel, for the wire running between the headset and audio source. Wireless headsets are used to provide a greater degree of user freedom, as the user is no longer tethered to the audio source by a wire. It is known for both wired and wireless headsets to be used with audio sources such as communication devices, e.g., cordless telephones, mobile radios, personal digital assistants (PDAs), cellular subscriber units and the like, as well as other source devices, such as MP3 players, stereo systems, radios, video games, personal computers, laptop computers and the like.
Known wireless headsets communicate with audio sources using RF or IR wireless technology. Such wireless headset communications have been extended to personal wireless networks, such as the one defined by the Bluetooth Specification available at www.bluetooth.com. The Bluetooth Specification provides specific guidelines for providing wireless headset functionality. In particular, the Bluetooth Specification provides a Headset Profile that defines the requirements for Bluetooth devices necessary to support the Headset use case. Once configured, the headset can function as a device's audio input and/or output. Thus, a particularly popular use of Bluetooth networks is to provide wireless headset connectivity for cellular telephones and PDAs. In addition, the Bluetooth Specification also provides the Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) that defines protocols and procedures for wirelessly distributing high-quality stereo or mono audio over a Bluetooth network. The purpose of this Profile is to connect to MP3 music players such as the Zune, iPod, and the like.
Although wireless headsets are an improvement over wired headsets in some circumstances, there are still opportunities to further improve wireless headsets, as well as wired headsets.